Improvement in machines for molding, pressing, and cutting sugar



v v I 2Sheets Sheet1. P. SPRECKELS & JAMES PETERSON.

Improvement in Machines for Molding, Pressing, and Cuiting Sugar.

No, 6,235, P a lentediune 20,1871.

2 sheets S-heet 2. P. SPRECKELS 8L JAMES PETERSON.

Improvement in Machines for Molding, Pressing, and Cutting Sugar.

No. 116,235, Pa tentedjune 20,1871;

FIG.3 FIGA In ye nfvruw the same.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER SPREOKELS AND JAMES PETERSON, or SAN EEANcIsoo, CALIFOR- NIA, ASSIGNORS To OLAUS sPEEcKELs AND PETER sPEEoKELs, OF

SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT lN MACHINES FOR MOLDING, PRESSING, AND CUTTING SUGAR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,235, dated June 20, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, PETER SPREoKELs and JAMES PETERSON, both of the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented an Improved Machine for Molding, Pressing, and Cutting Sugar, of which the following is a specification:

The general purpose of our invention is to take granulated sugar fresh from the centrifugal machine and transform it into small cubical lumps, fit for table use, in a speedy and economical manner, and by one continuous operation. The general nature of the means by which we accomplish this is as follows: A broad endless belt, composed of metallic plates hinged together, of such length and moving at such speed as to allow the lumps of sugar formed at one end to harden before being discharged at theother; a press-head carrying a press-die and two sets of cutters, by which the sugar is successively pressed into a thin cake, cut into bars, and finally into cubes while advancing on the belt; a hopper having two thinblades meeting and parting at the bottom, by which the sugar is fed to the machine in proper quantities and properly distributed. I

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 3 is an end view of the feeding device. Fig. 4 is a side view of the same. Fig. 5 is an under-side view of the press-head, showing the press-die and cutters. Fig. 6 shows the method of constructing the hinges to the belt-plates and the rollers on which they run beneath the press-die.

The same letters indicate the same parts throughout.

One of the leading features of the machine is the endless belt, composed of the metal plates E hinged to each other, and having upturned edges forming the flange E. This belt rests upon and runs over the system of rollers G pivoted to the iron frame-A, which is cast in sections and bolted together, and the sides fastened to each other by the bolts a. In order to secure a smooth and even track for these rollers the plates E are made to fit each other evenly and closely, and the hinges on the inside of the belt and the flanges E on the outside of it do not extend quite to either edge of the belt, so that a border of the belt on each side next to the edge sufficient to make a proper track for the rollers is left unobstructed for that purpose. The belt is moved by the two drums B B. Each drum is composed of three spiders with octagonal rims placed equidistant from each other on the shaft 0. Each face of the octagonal rim corresponds with and fits a belt-plate. Across the middle of each belt-plate is riveted an iron cleat, the use of which will be soon explained. This line of cleats passes over the middle octagonal rim, which is properly grooved to receive them. The corners of the rim are also grooved for the hinge-rods. The pillow-blocks of one of the drums are adjustable so as to take up slack and tighten the belt. The drums are moved by the pawls b, carried by crank-pins in the wheels 0, and engaging with the teeth of the ratchet-wheels 0. The driving-shaft m communicates motion by the gearing shown. Each pawl is kept in place laterally by spurs d, and held to the ratchet-wheels by springs y.

We will now describe the pressing and cutting portion of the machine, the body of which is what we call the press-head H, which consists of a strong iron plate, the under surface of which is plain and its upper surface furnished with strengthening-ribs. The presshead is carried up and down by four eccentric rods, z', the lower ends of which are strapped to eccentrics I on the shafts N, and the upper ends of which are hinged to the bolts which pass through bosses h on the corners of the press-head, and also through the rubber cylinders P, and terminate in the nut and screw 19. To a lug, K, on each corner boss of the press-head is rigidly attached a rod, J, which slides through the lug 70 on the frame, and serves as a guide to the press-head in its vertical motion. The under surface of the presshead is sufficient to cover three plates of the chain. To the third part of the surface, which is nearest to the head of the machine, is secured by tap-bolts (the heads of which are seen in Fig. 2) a plain plate as a press-die. The middle portion of the'face of the presshead is occupied by another plate, the lower surface of which is furnished with a set of thin polished blades or cutters parallel with each other, and as far apart as one diameter of the sugar-block to be produced demands, and of a length equal to that of the flanges E. The balance of the face of the press-head has a like set of blades at right angles to the first set. In Fig. 5 the press-die is shown at L and the cutters at L and L.

We believe a better result will be secured by first cutting the sugar crosswise of the belt. The width of the blades should be somewhat greater than the thickness of the cake of sugar to be cut. Across the ends of the chainplates, from the front of the hopper to the rear of the presshead, are the stationary curbs F F, being polished thin steel slats of the same height, and fitting against the ends of the flanges E.

We may now observe that there are three molds beneath the press-head, each having for its bottom aplate of the chain, for its sides the flanges E, and for its ends the stationary curb just described. In order that the plates when beneath the presser-head shall have their exact proper positions when it descends there are attached to the presser-head the adjustingpins M M, having tapering points, and made to pass through holes 0 e in the links, by which all slack in the chain is taken up and other irregularities are corrected. To give the belt beneath the press-head a solid foundation the hinge-straps are made of uniform thickness and extend quite across the bottom of the molds. These lines of hinges, as well as the middle line of cleats already described, run over several rollers running beneath the press-die on a shaft extending from side to side of the frame.

The feeding apparatus is as follows: The hopper Q, supported on brackets R attached to the frame, is stationed in front of the press and as near to it as convenient. Its bottom is slightly above and conforms in dimensions to a mold. Between the mold and the bottom of the hopper are the two thin polished steel plates, S and S, attached to the sliding racks T and T, which are connected by the common pinion V, fixed to each end of the shaft W, which is supported by bearings w attached to the hopper. The shifting-rods X, sliding in guides 00, connect with one set of rack-slides U, and each has two adjustable spurs, Y Y. Pins Z Z in the rims of each of the gear-wheels O, strike the spurs Y Y alternately and move the shifting-rod to and fro.

The operation is as follows: Motion being given, the hopper is filled with sugar fresh from the centrifugal machine. The pin Z in one of the wheels 0 strikes the spur Y and slides the shifting-rod X, thus moving one pair of the sliding racks and the attached plate S one way, while at the same time the other pair of racks and the attached plate S are moved the other way by the intervening pinion Y. The pin Z in the other wheel 0 by a like operation brings the slides S and S together and closes the bottom of the hopper. The pins Z and spurs Y may be so placed and adjusted as to give the exact amount of movement de sired to the feed-slides S and S. By putting two pins, Z, in each wheel the feed-slides may be made to open and close twice instead of once to each fillingof the mold By this means the mold will be still more evenly and co1npactly filled. The mold thus filled passes beneath the pressplate by the forward movement of the belt, produced by the action of the pawls and ratchet-wheels in the ordinaryway. As the ratchet-wheels have eight teeth the chain will be carried forward precisely the Width of one plate or link at each operation of the pawltl1at is, at each revolution of the wheels O-and during the same time the presshead will make one full movement. There fore, by a proper adjustment of the pawls with reference to the eccentrics the press-head is made to reach its lowest point while the belt is at rest. The press-head is regulated vertically by the nuts below the bosses h, and the degree of pressure by the nuts 1). The amount of pressure should be about the same as that given by an old-style hand printing-press operated with full force by one man. Too severe pressure will be indicated by excessive hardness of the lumps when dry. Too light pressure will be shown by want of adhesiveness, resulting in deformity of the lumps. The next movement of the chain will place the pressed cake beneath the first set of dividing-blades, by which the sugar will be cut into parallel bars. The other set of cutters will in like manner cross-cut it and leave it in the mold cut into cubes. The blades should be kept sharp, polished, and clean. To prevent the delicate edges from injury by coming in accidental contact with the bottom of the molds, sheets of soft rubber may be interposed between the press-head and the blade-holders. The press-die and cutters will need cleaning from time to time, which may be done by immersing them in hot water for a few minutes, and, when dry, rubbing them with a sponge slightly oiled with sweet-oil. To prevent delay extra sets may be kept. From the cutters the sugar passes on the chain into or through a hot-air chamber provided with any of the ordinary means of ventilation, so as to clear it of vapor; or the belt from the press to the turn may be kept heated by any of the well-known methods; or both these means of drying the sugar may be employed. The length of chain, its speed, and the means of drying must be such and so proportioned that when the sugar drops upon a canvas apron from the belt at its turn the lumps will be so strong as not to break.

Our present drums are eighty feet apart. The belt makes a revolution in about thirty minutes, and our drying is done by having a series of steam-pipes within the belt and frame. One or more endless aprons to convey the sugar for any time or distance desired to complete the hardening may be made in the ordinary way.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The employment, in a machine designed for transforming loose granulated sugar into lumps, of, first, the belt, and also the curbs F in combination with it second, thefeed-knives; third, the press-head, consisting of or carrying the the three several things, to wit, the press-die and the two sets of cutters; fourth, the entire structure as a new machine, each and all joint- Witnesses ALFRED RIX, J. F. OOWDERY. 

